


Slow Down

by SarahSmith1963



Series: A Tale of Three Hearts [16]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family, First Time, Fluff, Growing Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-30
Updated: 2016-05-30
Packaged: 2018-07-11 03:13:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7025824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SarahSmith1963/pseuds/SarahSmith1963
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ellie Oswald (The Doctor and Clara's daughter) is about to go her first trip in the TARDIS aged 5 and the Doctor feels very sentimental and protective of her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Slow Down

Slow Down

The Doctor stood leaning against the door frame of his 5-year-old daughter’s bedroom door. He watched as she carefully selected a new outfit from her wardrobe, her long chocolate brown hair flowing behind her and swishing around her face as she excitedly ran from the wardrobe to the bed with different items of clothing, not bothering to hang up the ones she discarded and just letting them pile up on the bottom of the wardrobe. A habit that she got from him and one that drove her Mother insane. He loved the sound of her laughter when she swung a flowery dress around pretending to dance with it, her deep brown eyes sparkling with excitement and joy.

The sight made his hearts ache, long gone had the little tiny baby they brought home from the hospital all pink and wrinkly and yet the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on, he was instantly head over heels in love with her with her small tuft of dark brown hair and large brown eyes looking up at him filled with innocence and curiosity. Even the constant shrill cry throughout the night did nothing to deter the love he had for her. He watched in awe as she grew from the tiny 6lb11oz to a chubby little baby with a beautiful round face crawling around the house he had bought for them with his money from unit. She proved just how much she was his daughter once she was mobile and would drive Clara ragged exploring every inch of the house and finding the smallest places to crawl into and hide her high pitched little baby laugh echoing around the house as the pair of them searched high and low for her, eventually the Doctor had taken to installing a new setting on his sonic so he could find her easily. 

He could still remember the day she had crawled into the gap between the washing machine and the cupboard and had gotten stuck, her terrified and heartbroken sobs slicing the air like a knife until he had managed to move the machine out of the way and free her, he remembered as soon as she was out she wrapped her chubby little arms around him and yelled “Dada”, it was the first time she had spoken out loud and he and Clara had never been prouder and spent about an hour after that dancing around the house getting her to repeat it over and over again. 

“Daddy what do you think of this dress?” Ellie’s little voice called out to the Doctor pulling from his thoughts, showing him a frilly pink dress with little fabric daisy’s sown onto it. 

“I think it’s very pretty El but are you sure you want to do this today? We can wait a while you don’t have to go today” The Doctor said kneeling down to his daughter’s level smiling at the little cluster of freckles over her nose. 

“I’m sure Daddy, I’m a big girl now!” Ellie nodded enthusiastically

“Ok do you need help?” The Doctor asked sitting on the edge of Ellie’s bed and instantly being transported back to memories of lying beside her in the bed retelling her stories of all the adventures he had had, sometimes even projecting star maps of the constellations on her ceiling with the sonic, they would spend hours Ellie pointing to different stars and the Doctor telling her everything he knew about the planet or star which sometimes was very little or nothing and others he knew enough to write a book on. 

“Daddy quickly!” Ellie laughed impatiently turning round “I need you to take the buttons out” She had obviously asked him this a few times but he was so lost in his thoughts he hadn’t heard her. 

“Sorry Caterpillar” He muttered taking the three buttons of the dress she had out. 

“Thank you” Ellie smiled pulling the dress off and putting the new one on. “Could you do my hair daddy?” She asked innocently 

“I think that’s more mummy’s job Caterpillar. Where is mummy anyway?” The Doctor asked looking around the bedroom as if suddenly expecting Clara to appear out of thin air. 

“Daddy don’t you ever listen? She’s packing a picnic to take with us remember?” Ellie lightly scolded the Doctor 

“Oh yes of course well come on then Caterpillar. To the kitchen!” The Doctor declared standing up quickly. 

“Do the cyberman lift! Do the cyberman lift!” Ellie chanted joyfully. 

“Alright then cyberman lift it is” The Doctor laughed picking up Ellie and throwing her over his shoulder so she danged down his back and he had hold of her by her knees over his shoulder. The Doctor ran down to the kitchen swinging round quickly every so often to the delight of Ellie whose laughter rang out throughout the entire house making the entire house seem brighter and full of live. When they arrived at the kitchen he swung her back over his shoulder and set her on the kitchen work top making her hair go all over her face that she quickly brushed away giggling the whole time. 

“I see you two have been having fun then” Clara laughed kissing her husband quickly on the lips while she mixed cake batter in a bowl. 

“Can I lick the whisk Mummy?” Ellie asked excitedly 

“No it’s Daddy’s turn this time” Clara answered rolling her eyes at the fact her husband and 5-year-old daughter had to take it in turn licking the whisk when she baked anything. 

“But it’s my birthday” Ellie huffed 

“That was yesterday” Clara pointed out 

“But isn’t today still my birthday? Don’t I get like a whole week?” Ellie asked in shock 

“Nope just one day” Clara answered 

“I only get one birthday the whole year? That’s a bit on fair. The queen has two birthdays we learnt about it in school so can I be the queen?” Ellie rambled 

“No Ellie sweetie you can’t be the queen” Clara smiled at her daughter handing her a piece of chocolate left from her baking and kissing the top of her head. 

“But you are the President of Earth’s daughter though so we’ll think about it” The Doctor chimed in absent mindly, dipping a finger into the cake mix which Clara swatted away. 

“No we won’t. one birthday and one birthday only, just like everyone else” Clara scolded the Doctor which made Ellie huff. 

“Did you pick out a planet?” Clara asked Ellie trying to distract her and get her back into a good mood and Ellie feel for it. 

“Yes! I want to go to the one, you went with Daddy to see the Queen of Years” Ellie announced proudly 

“Akhaten, sounds good we never really got a chance to explore properly last time did we Doctor?” Clara said pouring the cake mixture into the cake tin and putting it in the oven. 

“Why are you making cake?” The Doctor asked suddenly 

“I just fancied making one that’s all” Clara shrugged 

“But there’s cake left from Ellie’s birthday over there” The Doctor frowned 

“So? I fancied making a cake so I did. I’m not trying to smuggle drugs or weapons or anything like that onto the TARDIS Doctor relax” Clara laughed nervously. 

“Akhaten! Akhaten!” Ellie chanted both excited and impatient to get going. 

“Alright Ellie. Come on we can be back before the cake is finished and just buy lunch while we are there I guess” Clara muttered leaving the kitchen in search of her bag. 

The family of three gathered in the TARDIS which was hidden away in one of the spare bedroom of the house, Ellie skipping happily into the console room. The Doctor trailing behind not really wanting this day to come. This would be Ellie’s first trip in the TARDIS they had been putting it off to keep her safe but as a birthday treat they promised one trip and the Doctor was instantly regretting it. He wasn’t ready for his little Caterpillar to grow up. He watched Ellie skip around the console from, he had been bringing her in here since she was a few hours old. She had taken her very first steps right in front of the stairs that lead under the console and ran straight into the console on her third birthday splitting her little lip open, he had been terrified by the amount of blood coming from such a small cut and had been so sure Clara would have been furious with him for letting her get hurt but she amazed him once again by saying “Accidents happen” and cleaning Ellie up as best as she could and adding a little paper stitch to it. 

“You not going to send us flying to the stars old man?” Clara teased kissing the Doctor’s cheek 

“hmm? What? Oh yea sorry yes, Akhaten it is” The Doctor answered distracted walking over to the console and sending her flying to the stars. 

The Doctor watched as Clara gave Ellie a lecture on staying beside them and not wondering off because it could be dangerous, she could get lost and they wouldn’t want that. His hearts ached again at the slight, he still saw Ellie as his little pink and wrinkly bundle wrapped up in a blanket. How did she manage to grow up so fast? Ellie was excitedly asking her mother questions ones that he remembered Clara asking herself. “What’s time made off? If jam is made from strawberries what’s time made off?” The Doctor chuckled at her innocent question and remembered his previous self-trying to answer the same question so many, many years ago. 

The TARDIS landed with a bit of a jolt nearly sending everyone falling to the floor “Sorry” The Doctor apologised sheepishly “It’s been a while since she’s been out” 

Ellie raced toward the TARDIS doors ready to rip them open and go exploring and the Doctor suddenly filled with panic. What if they hadn’t landed in the right place? Or there was something scary stood outside and they tried to take Ellie away from them. No that wouldn’t do, he’d need to check. 

“Slow down Ellie, I know you want to go through the door but just stay here a minute more” The Doctor called after his daughter before running diagnostics and making sure they are where they were meant to be.

After checking everything was ok he knew he couldn’t delay it any longer, he had to let her grow up this little bit more and walked over to meet her at the door’s where she was dancing on the spot impatiently wanting to get out and explore a different planet. The Doctor opened the door revealing the market place beyond and Ellie’s face light up with wonder and awe at the many different stalls they could see from the TARDIS doors. Ellie raced out of the TARDIS and towards the closest one to see all the different trinkets on it, the Doctor running like a penguin after her in a blind panic that she would get lost or stolen. 

“Ellie you can’t just run off like that! You’re going to have to hold my hand the whole time now” The Doctor scolded Ellie holding out his hand for her. Ellie huffed but did as she was asked and they walked happily down the market hand in hand with Clara tagging along behind them spending more time looking at all the items for sale on the stalls.


End file.
